Zimbabwe's outcast players, their
international careers seemingly over, areconsidering a plan to form a team
of rebels that would tour the UK and playsocial matches against teams such
as the famous village side Lashings.Veteran Zimbabwe batsman Grant Flower
and the players' agent, Clive Field,emphasised that the idea was only in its
embryonic stage.

But they explained that players sacked by the Zimbabwe
Cricket Union weredesperate to find ways of playing competitive cricket and
raising money topay the hefty legal bills associated with their battle with
the ZCU, inwhich they were defeated on the eve of the one-day series against
Australiaand effectively banished from international cricket.

"There
are quite a few logistics to sort out but it is a possibility,because the
guys have got some good marketability in England at the moment,"said Flower,
who has a contract to play with Lashings and said he couldpotentially help
organise matches against the star-studded team described ascricket's Harlem
Globetrotters.

"We'd have to raise some money here to get the guys over
there."

Field said the rebel players' legal bills totalled about 50
million Zimbabwedollars ($13,489), while their international careers now
rest with theInternational Cricket Council's disputes
committee.

Regardless of what happens at next month's ICC meeting, at
which Zimbabwe'sworthiness as a Test and one-day nation is set to be
debated, the formerplayers strongly believe the game's administration in
Zimbabwe needsoverhauling.

"This wouldn't be a rebel side as such
because that might have implications,but they could play some social games
in the UK to help raise some money tofund their legal battle. They might
even play against a side made up ofZimbabwean and South African expats. That
was something they discussed,"Field said. "But it's very much at the drawing
board stage at the moment."

He said any social cricket initiative by the
Zimbabwe rebels would have tobe organised in the next six to eight
weeks.

Former captain Heath Streak, whose allegations of racially biased
selectionsparked the dispute almost two months ago, still holds out some
hope ofplaying for Zimbabwe again, but will head to English county
teamWarwickshire a week early to make up for the time in which he has
beenunable to play cricket.

Sean Ervine has already gone to Western
Australia while fellow all-rounderAndy Blignaut is thought to be close to
signing with Tasmania. While playerssuch as Ray Price, one of the world's
best and most determined left-armspinners, would also command attention
overseas, others are tentativelyplanning for life after cricket.

"The
others are going to be doing a variety of things. I know Craig Wishartis
doing a business course, Travis Friend is going to work his hours to tryand
get his commercial licence for flying. I know some of the guys areprobably
going to take a bit of a break," Streak said.

"I've obviously got to make
a living and if there's no resolution to thiswhole thing then I've got to
look at making the best of the years I've gotleft in cricket and
capitalising so I can get myself into a stable financialposition to support
my family . . . I've lost a lot of income out of notplaying; I haven't
carried on as a mercenary."

Streak maintains members of the Zimbabwe
board, which has an influentialpolitical arm, had to be scrutinised. "Some
of them are acting withimpunity," he said.

"Integrity has to come
into it and not just integrity of the game of Testcricket but integrity of
the way the game is run. The game of cricket is notlike any other game -
it's a gentleman's game and the way things are beingdone are certainly not
that way. We've been called racists, but those whoare accusing us of being
racists are the ones who are creating theseproblems."

By Staff
ReporterLast updated: 05/28/2004 12:47:30A RESERVE Bank of Zimbabwe
delegation flew into Dallas, Texas on Wednesdayto launch a financial package
called 'Home Link' which would allowZimbabweans in the United States to send
money home, SW Radio Africareported.

The RBZ's campaign to entice
Zimbabweans in the diaspora was met by protestsby a group of Zimbabwean
nationals who attended the meeting with placards.

A frosty welcome also
awaits Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono who isexpected to make a keynote
address at the ZimExpo 2004 in Atlanta later onFriday.

The delegation
to Dallas, Texas was led by former ZBC newscaster, SupaMandiwanzira. The
governor of the bank Gideon Gono, will meet up with thedelegation in
Atlanta, Georgia were there are expected to participate at aneconomic
symposium.

A spokesman for the Association of Zimbabweans Based Abroad in
the U.S.Ralph Black said they condemn the action by the RBZ, describing
their effortas aiding and abetting the policies of a murderous
regime.

Johannesburg: One of Zimbabwe's richest businessmen has been
arrestedhere in connection with an investigation into possible fraud and
breaches offoreign exchange rules.

Mutumwa Mawere, a majority
investor in the plush Kilimanjaro nightclub here, was arrested on Tuesday
and released on R50 000 bail by theRandburg Magistrate's Court
yesterday.

A Zimbabwean police team is in South Africa to escort
him back toHarare. Until recently, Mawere was considered President Robert
Mugabe'sclosest business crony.

A police spokeswoman said
Mawere's application for bail was inrelation to a case about whether he
could be extradited to Zimbabwe. "Wecannot comment on the
allegations."

It is understood, however, that Zimbabwean
authorities areinvestigating invoices issued for asbestos exports through
Southern AsbestosSales here and want to question Mawere.

The
exports followed Harare exempting asbestos from the materials thathad to be
sold through the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe.

Mawere paid more than R7 million for a 60% stake in the Kilimanjaronight
club. Sources say they want to ascertain whether the money was"illegally
externalised".

Yesterday, Zimbabwe's Daily Mirror quoted Mawere as
saying he had beenliving abroad since 1989. "How can a person who has been
non-resident for 15years be accused of externalisation?"

Mawere, chairman of Africa Resources Ltd, rose to prominence in 1996when he
acquired Zimbabwe's largest asbestos mines on the strength of aHarare
government guarantee. Asbestos exports earn about R400m a year
forZimbabwe.

Also in 1996, Mawere, who had worked for the
International FinanceCorporation, an arm of the World Bank, teamed up with
Mugabe's Zanu-PF tolaunch a major bank, the First Banking Corporation. -
Foreign Service

President Robert Mugabe has
ruled out calling an early parliamentaryelection - something being widely
speculated about in Zimbabwe.

The election is due in March next
year but Mugabe has reportedly beenunder pressure from his cabinet to call
an election in October or Novemberbefore food stocks run out.

Mugabe said in an interview with state media yesterday that he wouldnot call
an early election as it would be undemocratic because otherpolitical parties
were not ready.

He said general elections in Zimbabwe were held at
the end of everyfive years, and he would stick to that timetable.
He added that Zimbabwe's electoral system was "very orderly andsystematic",
and the country recognised the rules of procedure and theprovisions of the
constitution.

Mugabe told The Herald newspaper that reports that he
would call anearly election were as far from the truth "as the North Pole is
from theSouth Pole or as the South Pole is far from the North
Pole".

"We do not waylay the opposition or any other parties by
calling foran abrupt election," said Mugabe. "I think it's
undemocratic."

"The Movement for Democratic Change must be
aware of the ides ofMarch," Mugabe told state media journalists aboard a
flight to Cairo, Egypt.

Buoyed by the party's disputed successes in
recent by-elections,senior members of Mugabe's Zanu-PF have been calling for
an early electionwhich they believe would guarantee the ruling party an easy
victory and thetwo-thirds majority it wants in parliament.

Zanu-PF secretary for the commissariat Elliot Manyika recently boastedthat
Zanu-PF could defeat the MDC any time an election was called.

In
Cairo, the president of the African Export and Import Bank,Christopher
Edordu, held talks with Mugabe, who is desperate to open creditlines for his
government.

Edordu said Zimbabwe was an important and founding
member of the bank,and the institution would provide financial support for
the country'sagriculture and mining sectors.

By Staff
ReporterLast updated: 05/28/2004 11:59:04THE fall-out between
Information Minister Jonathan Moyo and senior rulingZanu PF officials over a
Sky News crew's entry into Zimbabwe took a newtwist this week when the man
who organised the trip was barred from enteringthe country.

Former
Ugandan rebel fugitive David Nyekorach Matsanga was turned away atthe Harare
Airport and sent back to London, further emphasising the bittersplit which
threatens to tear-apart the ruling party.

But New Zimbabwe.com today reveals that information
Minister Jonathan Moyoinstigated the deportation as revenge after a messy
fall-out with Zanu PF'ssecretary for publicity and information Nathan
Shamuyarira over the Sky Newsfiasco.

Sky News entered into a deal
with Zanu PF through Matsanga to be allowedinto Zimbabwe to do a positive
spin on land reform and the national youthtraining scheme. Shamuyarira began
writing to Moyo in April asking him toensure their smooth entry into
Zimbabwe.

But Moyo, the architect of draconian legislation banning
foreign journalistsdragged his feet and when the crew flew into Zimbabwe a
week ago, he orderedthem to be deported sparking a stand-off which was won
by Shamuyarira.

The Sky News crew was allowed to stay but Moyo sought to
undermine them butbringing in a Kenyan team of journalists to interview
President RobertMugabe. After some resistance, Moyo was again overruled by
Shamuryarira andSky News landed an interview with Mugabe.

The Herald
which has enthusiastically printed public relations articles byMastanga
supporting government policy on Friday led the attack, mockingMatsanga for
"boasting about his connections in Zimbabwe".

The paper said last year,
he boasted to British journalists that he "kneweveryone in Government and
that all the (Zimbabwean) ministers turn to mefor advice. Mugabe is always
interested in what I have to say."

Matsanga, 44, who runs a company
called Africa Strategy has been shelteredin the United Kingdom after running
away from Uganda where he was a memberof an outlawed terrorist
group.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper last year described him as a
"propagandist andpublic relations adviser for Mr Mugabe."

A former
official of the disgraced former Ugandan President Milton Obote,Matsanga has
lived in Croydon, Surrey, with his wife and four children for10 years. He
was granted political asylum on the grounds that he would bekilled if he
returned home.

Until recently he was the British spokesman for the Lord's
Resistance Army(LRA) in Uganda, a proscribed terrorist organisation which
conscripts childsoldiers and has been accused by Amnesty International of
terrorising thepopulation.

It is understood that a bank account held
by Matsanga frozen by theBritish Government in London in 1999 because of his
LRA activities.

By Staff
ReporterLast updated: 05/28/2004 12:33:54MAKONDE Member of Parliament,
Kindness Paradza's faux pas at yesterday'shearing before a Zanu PF
Mashonaland West provincial disciplinary committeemay prove to be the
Waterloo in his bid to rescue his newfound politicalcareer in the ruling
party.

Paradza failed to produce a Zanu PF membership card before the
committeethat is hearing his misconduct case.

"We have resolved to
make our recommendations on the basis that Paradza isnot a member of the
party," a confidential source on the disciplinarycommittee said
Thursday.

"We are, therefore, recommending his expulsion from the party,"
the sourceadded.

Paradza, a former journalist who worked at the
Financial Gazette becomes thesecond ruling party official whose loyalty has
been questioned after FinanceMinister Chris Kuruneri was found to possess a
Canadian passport.

Mashonaland west provincial committee deputy chairman
and disciplinarycommittee head, John Mafa yesterday said the Makonde MP had
responded to theallegations levelled against him.

"We have
temporarily adjourned because some of his responses need to bereferred to
other people for verification. We will be calling more peopleand we expect
to resume by next week," Mafa said.

When asked about his impartiality in
view of allegations that he belonged toa rival faction from that of Paradza,
Mafa said: "I am not very sure ifParadza belongs to any faction.being a
deputy chairman for the province(and) elected unopposed I do not have any
faction, in fact, I don't evenknow about these factions you are talking
about."

Mafa said his committee's terms of reference were to make
recommendations tothe party's national chairman, who would in turn take
further action basedon these recommendations.

Mafa, however, declined
to disclose the nature of the aspects that had beenraised by Paradza that he
said needed verification.

"I do not want to be seen as pre-empting our
investigations, any interestedperson will know what will be happening when
the time is ripe," said Mafa.

When contacted, Paradza declined to comment
on the proceedings preferring torefer all questions to Mafa. He, however,
said he was happy with the way theproceedings were going.

"I don't
have any complaint with regard to the investigations, everything isgoing on
well," said Paradza.

There was speculation that Paradza might not attend
the hearing followingthe refusal by the committee to furnish him with
minutes of a meeting thatled to his suspension from the party last
month.From Daily Mirror

Herald
ReporterA UK-BASED anti-Zimbabwe group has launched a rabid campaign on the
Internetand the British House of Lords to derail the Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe'sinternational outreach to regularise foreign currency remittances
to thecountry by Zimbabweans living in the Diaspora.

An article
written by Mduduzi Mathuthu posted on the newzimbabwe.com websitealleged
that central bank governor Dr Gideon Gono slipped into London onprivate
business on Tuesday and was expected to stay there until
Friday(today).

However, the governor was nowhere near London as he
was meeting with AfricanExport and Import Bank officials in Cairo, Egypt, on
Tuesday and Wednesdaybefore being joined by President Mugabe to solicit
support for Zimbabwe'sagriculture and mining sectors.

The Zimbabwean
delegation returned home on Wednesday evening.

Mathuthu, a former
Zimbabwe Independent reporter now based in the UK, wrotethat outraged
British MPs were set to review the list of senior ZimbabweGovernment
officials banned from travelling throughout the European Unionafter Dr
Gono's imagined visit.

"Since Gono was appointed Reserve Bank governor
last November, the EUsanctions list has not been
reviewed.

"Embarrassed British Foreign Office officials said: 'It's a
private visit.It's certainly nothing to do with us. We are not meeting
him."

"In the House of Lords," wrote Mathuthu, "Baroness Amos, responding
toquestions from peers who suggested Gono was on a mission to raise funds
forZanu-PF's re-election campaign also stressed that the Government's
handswere tied on the issue."

Mathuthu alleged that President
Mugabe's opponents were already planning tomake it an uncomfortable visit
for Dr Gono with unspecified protests, as heclaimed that the governor was
"trying to raise money for Zanu-PF'sre-election campaign".

Contacted
for comment in Harare yesterday, Dr Gono said: "When I go to theUK it will
be on a mission to promote the formalisation of funds transfersinto Zimbabwe
by our brothers and sisters in not only that country but otherparts of the
world.

"Those of us charged with the responsibility to superintend
financialsystems in our backyards have a duty to ensure that funds that flow
into oursystem do so in as transparent and accountable manner as
possible.

"Some of us cannot forget the horrors of September 11 which
have changed thewhole face of this world and that horror was in part
financed by funds whichwere moving in and out of world financial markets
without close scrutiny oraccountability."

He said: "Under the
prevention of terrorism finance, as governor of thecentral bank I have an
obligation to urge Zimbabweans living outside thecountry to use safe,
transparent and accountable channels for fundstransfers as our collective
fight against opaque financial systems whichtomorrow can be used against
humanity through money laundering and otherterrorist activities."

He
said if Mathuthu could regard such a mission as counterfeit by choosingto
lie about "why I would be visiting the United Kingdom or any other partof
the world then he ought to be seen for what he stands for."

"His
(Mathuthu) hatred for the governor should not be allowed to cloud thenoble
mission that is founded on international responsibility towards
cleanfinancial systems in one's backyard."

Dr Gono said he last
visited the United Kingdom in September last year

Herald ReporterTHE land issue is a bilateral and colonial
question and can only be resolvedthrough dialogue between Zimbabwe and
Britain, the Minister of Justice,Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Cde Patrick
Chinamasa, said on Wednesday.

"It cannot be resolved by the British
speaking to the opposition becausethey are not in Government. It can only be
resolved by dialogue between thetwo contended parties," he said.

Mr Chamisa had asked Cde Chinamasa to
clarify the Government's positionfollowing the statement by President Mugabe
that Zimbabwe was willing toengage Britain in talks if London wanted
dialogue. The President said thisduring an interview with British news
channel Sky News.

Mr Chamisa had alleged that by trying to talk to the
British government theZimbabwean Government was selling out since the
President was on recordsaying anyone who talked to the British was a
sell-out.

"A sell-out is a person who is a member of this House and goes
to talk toGeorge Bush (United States President) behind Zimbabwe's back and
we have gotthem here. Those sell-outs will go to talk to the State
Department and theCIA, that is now selling-out," Cde Chinamasa
said.

The land issue, he said, would not be resolved by the British
funding whitefarmers in Zimbabwe or sending them to Nigeria.

Nigeria
has been wooing some of the former Zimbabwe commercial farmers.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------ANNUAL
inflation in Zimbabwe declined last month to 505% year-onyear from583,7% in
March, with all subcategories of the inflation index registering adecrease,
Standard Bank said in a research brief yesterday."Clearly, the
administrative measures introduced over the past six monthshave been
instrumental in lowering inflation. However, viewed over a longerterm the
inflation outlook is not positive," said Standard Bank economistand author
of the brief Robert Bunyi.

The productive sector lending facility was
injecting inflationary pressureinto the economy. "We expect annual inflation
rates will continue to declinebut will later revert to a rising trend,"
Bunyi said.

Late last month the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe reduced the
overnight rate from400% to 205%, indicating to the market where it would
like interest rates tobe.

"Following this the bank stated that
compound effective interest ratesshould be in line with inflation levels. In
response to these signals,commercial banks progressively began revising
lending rates downward.

"Frequent changes to interest rate policy have
increased the level ofuncertainty in the money markets," said Bunyi. This
was expected to resultin rapid, large changes in money-market liquidity. In
the short term,interbank interest rates were expected to stay
volatile.

Following the decision to let Zimbabwe's dollar depreciate on
the auctionmarket it depreciated 15,3% last month.

Black market
activity fell due to tightened controls. "The reserve bank mayhave to
incorporate a programme of periodic devaluation of the Zimbabwedollar as
part of the process of injecting some stability into the markets."I-Net
Bridge

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------The
South African government's position on Zimbabwe is not diplomacy, butcynical
conniving with a ruthless and cruel dictator.President Robert Mugabe says
food aid is not required, and makes everyeffort to thwart attempts to bring
food into the country by concerneddonors. Why?

He wants a big
election turnout (food for votes) to decimate the Movementfor Democratic
Change (MDC), increase his majority and return to changingthe constitution
(which he cannot do now).

He will call the election early, arranging it
for October. This is thedriest time of the year with maize at its annual
low. Without donors, hewill control all food stocks.

He can then
ensure not only compliance at the ballot box, but the largeturnout he and
President Thabo Mbeki need to pretend his popularity isincreasing
again.

Mbeki will collaborate. SA will declare the election free and
fair, shrugits shoulders and say it tried to bring the two sides together,
but the MDCwould not respond with any sense of urgency and hence lost out,
so let'srecognise Mugabe and back to business as usual.

SYDNEY: Zimbabwe is ignoring cricket's 'core values' and the
InternationalCricket Council (ICC) should consider that when assessing the
Zimbabwecrisis at its meeting next month, the international players'
associationsaid on Thursday. Zimbabwe is in danger of being suspended from
Test cricketafter a revolt by the country's top white players forced two
Test matchesagainst World Champions Australia this month to be cancelled.
FormerAustralian Test bowler Tim May, who is chief executive of the
Federation ofInternational Cricketers Association (FICA), said the ICC must
investigateclaims that Zimbabwe was ignoring cricket's equality and
integrity. "It isthe strong position of FICA and its member player
associations that thepresent Zimbabwean crisis is more than just a perceived
dilution in thevalue of international cricket," May said in a statement here
on Thursday.